Providing access to a bodily organ, particularly a ventricle of a heart, is necessary for a number of procedures, including the repair of ventricular defects as well as the repair or replacement of a mitral or aortic valve. There are many methods that have been developed for carrying out such procedures, a great number of which involve cardio-pulmonary bypass. Sternotomy or side thoracotomies with connection to Cardio-pulminory bypass (CPB) are methods usually used during such operations. However, particular patients may fall within a high risk category that would dictate avoidance of such procedures. In the last decade or so, the ability to stabilize a beating heart has allowed access to the heart via the apex of the heart for such repair and/or valve replacement. Recently, transapical aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become practicable, and in many instances, it may be preferable to percutaneous implantation via the femoral artery.
As a result, there has been an impetus to design devices for providing access to an organ, particularly a ventricle of a heart, in a manner so that, upon completion of the operable procedure, closure of such entry passage can be simply and readily effected.